


Potter and the Death Eaters

by welcometothisday



Series: Harry Potter and the Tale of Three Siblings [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Other, Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-11-24 14:48:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20909420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/welcometothisday/pseuds/welcometothisday
Summary: Lily Luna, Albus Severus, and James Sirius were the kids of Harry Potter, the Chosen One, once Boy Who Lived, Vanquisher of the Dark Lord, etc.That legacy doesn't leave much room for their own stories, to forge their own paths without being compared to their father. Lily Luna Potter couldn't help but wonder what she and her siblings' futures would be like if they were so clouded over by the previous generations' actions.Welcome back to Hogwarts, where:James is a Disney PrincessScorpius is obsessed with mugglesAlbus wants to teach at HogwartsAnd Lily's making friends with dead people





	1. Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet the new generation, and all in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following cover was made in Be Funky using free pictures.

**Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts**

Lily Luna Potter was part of a famous legacy, as were her brothers, and that legacy tended to leave a shadow.

For instance, James was supposed to be the prankster, possible bully, and mischievous son of a troll. Albus was supposed to be wise, smart, but his middle name left a contradiction that outshined that, and being sorted into Slytherin didn't help.

As for Lily, people kept expecting her to be kooky, clever, and loving, like a blend of her godmother and grandmother. Yeah, it made as much sense as people thinking Hufflepuffs were lame despite having people like Nymphadora "Tonks" Lupin, Newt Scamander, and the brave Cedric Diggory. All were warriors, all saviors, and all kind at the same time. Being Hufflepuff never made them any less. Yet, people were always judged by rumors and stereotypes, weren't they?

She was finally at Hogwarts, and Lily knew she didn't want to be like her parents at all. She loved them, but she didn't want their shadows to drain her. Even on the train people were comparing her.

Under the Sorting Hat, she expected it to place her in Slytherin because of her ambitions, but instead, it seemed to struggle. After about a minute, she heard a voice asking what she wanted to be. From others' expressions, she surmised that only she could hear the hat. Thinking carefully about her options, she deeply wondered if Hufflepuff could be a good choice. But with her personality, she doubted she'd fit. Gryffindor? Bravery wasn't her strongest point. Believe it or not, she tried to avoid danger, and her brother's oddities which could be irritating. Slytherin? She'd expected it, and wouldn't mind being in the same House as Albus, but seeing his face she had a feeling he wouldn't want her to be there. He likely thought she'd tease him over his feelings about Scorpius just as James sometimes did.

So, logically, there was one answer. It seemed obvious in hindsight. Unfortunately, it also meant she'd be compared to Luna a lot more. See, Hufflepuff would've been great because no one in her family was named after a Hufflepuff and she really would've been her own person. Seriously, she loved Aunt Luna, but maybe Nymphadora would've been kind of cool?

"Ravenclaw!"

Just as Lily suspected, a large number of whispers and words were spread. She had no doubts others would question her, compare her, and/or otherwise spread gossip or rumors of possibly insidious nature. She expected that for any House. Still, she couldn't help but smile when James, Albus, and Scorpius cheered her on despite her not being in their houses.

Lily brightened upon seeing Lysander Scamander. It was a bit disappointing that the twins had been separated into different houses, but it was also nice to know somebody there. He greeted her merrily, whispering excitedly that they all made it into Ravenclaw.

* * *

Their first class was Muggle Studies, a recently required class for most schools in the Wizarding community. It was taught by the Head of Slytherin, Andromeda Tonks nee Black, pure blooded witch, wife to muggleborn Edward Tonks, mother to Nymphadora Lupin nee Tonks, and grandmother to Teddy Tonks. The woman had a shrewd eye, and paid close attention to everyone. She seemed to be on a mission almost half the time, and considering what happened to her husband and daughter, Lily wasn't surprised.

She did act differently than the smiling woman she remembered seeing as she helped to raise Teddy. Her eyes were always sad though, in grief. She was almost more overprotective than Lily's father sometimes. 

But, she always tried to make the subject interesting. For instance, Lily almost snorted as the class began reading the Brothers Grimm. At first, those who'd never been near muggles thought she was speaking of _THE_ Grim, an omen of death. Professor Tonks joked they weren't that far off, and students broke into groups to chat about the comparisons between muggles and the wizarding world, all from varying backgrounds as debates rose.

Lily heard all about how Scorpius loved Muggle Studies, although confused by the references that Albus and James made. Apparently, he'd become an avid lover of The Hobbit, The Similarion, and the Lord of the Rings series, even if he did complain about how preposterous the information in them were. His favorite characters were Glorfindel and Ecthelion, who just so happened to be possible lovers where one was blond and the other dark-haired. Gee, wonder if that was a coincidence?

Potions came next. Many people were surprised when Damocles Belby, the new Head of Hufflepuff, took up the position. He had grown weary of, well, everyone following his invention of the Wolfsbane Potion. However, there were rumors that he'd been convinced by his distant nephew and Professor McGonagall to serve as the new Potions Master following Slughorn's retirement, which had been a permanent one some years ago. For reasons that were vague to her at the time, he had been glad to hear that Lily had been named after her grandmother. It seemed that a lot of people thought the same.

As for Professior Belby, the man was a somber fellow, likely affected by the gloominess of the Potions' classroom, but otherwise a very good tutor. He encouraged experimentation as long as he was present for safety purposes. It turned out to be a much better tool than most would believe, considering students were very quick learners when their lives might be in peril. 

Lily liked potions, it allowed her to see which things could do what and how to solve problems. She always kept notes on what did what, and couldn't help but smile when she figured something out.

As for Charms, the head of her house, Professor Flitwick, still remained after decades following her grandparents' generation. A part of her wondered if he ever aged, and another noticed the slight graying hairs. Well, he wasn't just part wizard, but goblin as well. If he didn't die of injury or illness, he was likely to outlive them all.

Wait, no, Professor McGonagall _was_ going to outlive them all. The woman was immortal. She'd probably scare Death itself into a dark corner while cackling madly. Or, she'd just glare until the poor guy turned to stone.

Unfortunately, much like Albus, she was terrible at Charms. It turned out that she had a tendency to make things either float, or turn on fire. The latter typically happened when she used her wand (incorrectly?), but with the former, it tended to be more natural. So at some point she said the levitation spell, but decided to rely on her more natural talent. She used wandless magic. Flitwick commended her, but it ached inside as she knew she lied about it, even if she said nothing.

She just hadn't wanted to get embarrassed more in class.

See, with charms, you had to _feel _and sense certain things. It wasn't as simple as saying something or using the correct posture or even hand movements. It reminded her of how her parents told her about the Unforgiveable Curses and best ways to avoid them. Lily usually suspected that her father was just afraid of some of the memories involving the killing curse when it came to the topic, but he always seemed angrier at the mention of Cruciatus and Imperio instead of the one that formed his lightening scar. You had to have _intent_ with them, and as for Lily? Well, she overthought too much instead of just feeling or doing something. Huh, maybe Ravenclaw was her place after all.

Lily's adoptive uncle, Neville Longbottom and head of Gryffindor House, was the Herbology professor. He adored plants, and despite his best efforts, all anyone wanted to know was if he had the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Lily knew for a fact that he did. Albus' godfather and her father often shared birthday parties on account of them being so close, and Lily had seen it in one of the studies. Lily had also played often with Alice, who shared the same experiences of being name after legacies. She never knew her grandmother, and neither had Neville, but both had been told tales of Alice's grandparents through Augusta Longbottom. 

It's an odd thing, being named after the dead. It made one consider their own fate, and what may be in store.

As for flying classes, there was a woman with hawk-like golden eyes. Professor Hooch was almost as immortal as Flitwick and McGonagall at this rate. Did she get her hair cut again? Oh right, long hair was dangerous and could easily get you killed while flying. It nearly happened to Lily's mom on multiple accounts. Being a once chaser and now seeker of the Hollyhead Harpies. That was why Hooch insisted that Lily pin her hair back, and why Lily wasn't against it as much as some of the others. It made sense to do such things after all. As curious as she was about most things, she wasn't curious to learn what she looked like with a bloody head, or a missing one.

For Astronomy, which was fascinating, a centaur taught the course. He was very pleased to learn that another Potter was attending his class. Most of the girls were swonning over him, as well as some of the boys. Lily's mother had told her in recent years he was gaining more fans than the "idiot" Lockhart ever did, whoever that was. From how her parents described him, the guy sounded like a prat. Anyways, what was the centaur's name again, Firenze? Oh right, he saved her father in his first year.

Merlin, there were far too many names in her life. Numbers were far easier than people.

Transfiguration was still taught by the immortal Professor McGonagall, where Lily got frustrated enough with her needle that she somehow made it explode, outdoing Mateo's project seeing as he merely set his on fire.

And history? One couldn't learn anything in such a monotonous class. Even some of the muggleborns had gotten out their technology to watch movies and play games. Some of the half-bloods and even pure bloods got in on the action. As for Lily? She skipped ahead in the book after receiving a message from James what the expected assignments were. She got the paperwork out of the way during class that way, so she could use her time more efficiently later.

So, her classes were interesting to say the least. Well, with the exception of Professor Binns, but there wasn't a lot one could do about that. The guy had permanent tenure at this point. 

At dinnertime, Lily wasn't even surprised when she was pounced upon by her brothers and Scorpius. According to their predecessors, there was a time where all the houses were more or less divided into different sections. While Slytherins were still outcast to some degree, likely an aftereffect of the Wizarding War, most students mingled, disregarding their colors for the most part. The only time that their houses were kept apart were during special events, such as the hat sorting ceremony.

"How was your first day? Heard you set a needle on fire!" James exclaimed.

Sighing, she clarified, "No, I made mine explode. Mateo's the one who set his on fire. According to professor McGonagall, he must've got it from one of his fathers."

"Cool," Scorpius said, only for confusion to appear on his face. "Or, wait, should I say 'hot' instead?"

"Nah, 'cool' is fine," Albus smirked. Scorpius was still learning muggle lingo, which he was fascinated with. He was almost as fascinated as Lily's grandfather. The poor man was still disappointed of the purpose of a rubber duck. "Got a favorite?"

"Potions," Lily answered automatically. Seeing their expressions, she asked, "What?"

James rolled his eyes. "People are already wondering if and when you're going to run into Snape's portrait. The guy _hates_ me."

Albus shrugs, "He tolerates me and Scorpius."

"That's because you're Slytherins, and because Albus here is partially named after the jerk. Oh, and you've got Grandma Lily's gorgeous green peepers." He ignored Albus when he blushed. "Oh, and me? He hates me before he meets me. Said something about me being just like my grandfather. I don't even know what my grandfather was like?!"

Lily blinked as she ate another pumpkin pasty. Wizards were obsessed with pumpkins more than muggles with pumpkin spiced coffees and other foods. And pumpkin spice didn't even have pumpkins in them. "Where is Snape? As in the painting?"

"He wanders about the corridors at night, hunting for students."

Lily arched a brow at both her brothers. "So, you're out late after curfew?"

James raised a brow in Albus' and Scorpius' direction, the latter pointedly looking away until Scorpius croaked out, "He also hangs out in the library, and parts of the Dungeons. You can see him sometimes going through other paintings, but it's not something people usually see."

Lily did her best to remain oblivious as to why her siblings were out after curfew. As curious as she was, there were some things that were best not to question.

James then offered to show the firsties where the kitchen was. Lily was reluctant, but admitted, "I could go for something other than sandwiches right now."

"Like what?"

Lily shrugged, "I don't know, but I hope there's pudding."

There was a snicker, and above them floated Peeves. James and Fred greeted him merrily along with some of the more mischievous family members. The ghoul was more than glad that he had an entire team of mischief makers. Lily was not impressed. Instead, she quickly walked away as Filch stomped towards them. She didn't know much about the man, but she knew he had a temper that she wanted to avoid. Well, maybe not too much in the case of Mrs. Norris III. Her mother often searched the hallways for miscreants, but because Mrs. Norris III was a kitten, she tended to wander about. Lily wondered what happened to the first Mrs. Norris. According to her parents, the cat was supposed to be as immortal as McGonagall. Then again, people thought Albus Dumbledore would be immortal.

The kitten loved ear rubs.

Still, Lily could not avoid the caretaker's glare. She ignored it and him as much as possible, not wanting any trouble. Although, he seemed to go after her far less than he would James or Albus. It likely had something to do with their namesakes.

At dinner McGonagall excused everyone to their houses, but Lily lingered to talk to her. McGonagall inclined her head in Lily's direction. "Yes, Miss Potter?"

She knew she had to phrase this carefully, "I know it's not him, but I wanted to meet the man who kept my father alive so that my brothers and I could exist. I just don't want to meet him with others around. Too much of an audience."

It wasn't actually Snape, and Lily knew that, but she still had the urge to meet with even a piece of the person her brother was named after. There had to be 

McGonagall considered her request. After a moment, she handed Lily a golden piece of paper. On it was a small map, not dissimilar to the Marauders'. Right, she'd heard how the school had come up with these things. They tracked students and teachers if they were used, and tracked anyone or anything that may harm them. It was a safety precaution made after the Battle of Hogwarts. Uncle George had the real map with him, and he'd let them examine the paper to better replicate it. He had said something about keeping students from anymore talking diaries and dark lords.

Lily examined it briefly. "I trust you know what this is, Miss Potter?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Good. Misuse it, and Ravenclaw will lose fifty points, or more."

Lily bowed her head slightly, wondering why she was being allowed to do this at all. She surmised it had something to do with her parents' letters to their former Head of House. Maybe they claimed her to be like Aunt Hermionie in her _early_ years as someone who disliked breaking rules.

* * *

The corridors at night were eerie. Lily would've admittedly been more spooked had it not been for the occasional prefect and Head Boys and Girls that bumped into her every once in a while. She showed her hall pass to each one, humming slightly as she went.

"What are you doing wandering the corridors at night?"

Tired, Lily held up her pass, letting its golden hue shine in the moonlight for a moment before turning around. "My apologies, I was looking for a Severus Snape. Do you know where I might find him?"

It was a man in a portrait with lanky hair, extremely dark eyes, and an arched nose that reminded Lily of a bird. He wore all black, and his sneer overwhelmed any other expression he might have. He also looked like he might have a stick up his rear end.

Found him.

Before he could say anything, she curtsied. "Hi, I'm Lily." Shoot, she sounded so stupid. Yet, despite not needing air, she heard him inhale sharply. Not letting it phase her, she tacked on, rather bluntly,"I'm _your_ Lily's granddaughter. I exist because of you. I just wanted to say thank you."

It was strange to think if things hadn't been different, if Snape hadn't insulted her grandmother, that there was a chance this person could've been her grandfather. There was a pause in the air, and for a moment, she could've sworn she saw Snape's lips uptick into a hint of a smirk. He turned his back on her with a dramatic swirl of his cloak. He resembled a bat.

"Evening, Miss Potter."

Lily nodded. "Evening, professor."

Yes, this would be an interesting school year indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Earlier on the Hogwarts Express:
> 
> "I gotta get back to Hogwarts," James sang merrily, Fred joining in on their small dance party. They chorused, "I gotta get back to school. I gotta get myself to Hogwarts, where everyone thinks I'm cool!"
> 
> Albus and Lily simultaneously scuffed the back of their brother's head, causing him to snicker.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily has a run in with a bloodthirsty kitten, turns out to be more like her aunt Hermionie than she thought she was, and is learning how to adapt to Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a semi-canon character in it.
> 
> If anyone can figure out who it is, please, no spoilers.

Lily was minding her own business, reading a book in the library, when she heard something clatter. Madam Pince glared across the way, her piercing gaze burning into the backs of students as she searched, not unlike a hawk, for her prey. Then, the librarian squawked as a small humanoid form that was upside down appeared before her, book in hand. It was a silver blond boy, whose locks were messy and wavy, far unlike Scorpius'. 

"Sorry, Madam Pince," the boy whispered. He was so quiet that few could barely hear him. His bright yellow tie was carefully tucked into his vest to prevent it from flapping in anyone's face. "I found the book. A pixie had it."

Madam Pince narrowed her eyes, clearly irate, before taking the book and handing over a small packet. Under her breath she muttered something about a damnable man named Lockhart for bringing the bloody things into the school. "...Good work, Mr. Scamander. Do try to be more quiet next time."

He nodded, flipping upside down so his feet softly landed onto the ground, beaming brightly. He scurried away, starting to eat some biscuits in the hallways and away from the books. It was strange that the Hufflepuff sibling might like books more than the Ravenclaw one, but Hermionie Granger-Weasley was once a Gryffindor so...

Still, Lorcan was a bit of a sweetheart which was easy to see considering he liked sharing everything. He was even sharing treats with those in the hallways, including Hagrid. The half-giant offered one of his rock cakes as an exchange, and the boy, miraculously, gobbled them up.

Lorcan and Lysander, sons of Luna Scamander nee Lovegood and her husband Rolf, were also the descendants of the famous, or infamous pending your view, Newt Scamander. The twins were very much alike to the point where Fred dared them to switch ties for a day. No one noticed, and the teachers still don't know.

A loud purring echoed in the room, and this time, Madam Pince had a hard time scowling. It was Mrs. Norris III, a wee kitten who went around and batted at people's legs, likely mimicking her mother and grandmother. In fact, Madam Pince had a hint of a smile as she raised her wand and had a glowing orb move through the hallways. Lily didn't pay too much mind, at least until she found a kitten in her hair. Not daring to touch it out of fear of Mister Filch, she just pretended nothing was happening, even as the tiny thing stretched its claws on her scalp. Even better? The kitten parodied an old cartoon Lily had once seen on the telly. What was it called? Marc Antony and Pussyfoot?

When Filch got there, his eyes widened at the sight of the kitten buried in Lily's hair, and purring as it started to take a nap. Lily couldn't hold back a small whining noise at the pressure on her skull. Madam Pince actually snickered, whispering, "Wingardium Leviosa."

The kitten floating out of Lily's hair, still lightly snoring, and over to Filch's arms. At seeing Lily's still tight expression, Madam Pince asked her name. "...I'm sorry, but think I need to go to Hospital Wing."

Lily then shoved part of her tie into mouth in a very undignified manner, whimpering at the burning and stinging on her head. Madam Pince thankfully didn't complain, and Filch pursed his lips. "Master Filch, please escort Miss Potter to the Hospital Wing."

He nodded, and Lily swiftly, but carefully, picked up her bag, and handed the book she was using to Madam Pince. Out in the hallway, she wheezed, trying desperately not to wake up the kitten. Filch smirked sadistically, but it dissipated when the red on her head deepened, not quite matching her hair. Next thing Lily knew, she was picked up and being carried in a rushed manner. Her cheeks burned at the knowledge of the looks and questions she'd get later. Thankfully, the kitten was still snoozing, albeit in Filch's coat pocket.

Once in the Hospital Wing, Filch made harsh whispers to Madams Pomfrey and Longbottom, the latter of whom was concerned. Then, Filch marched out, leaving Lily both very confused, and fairly light headed.

Pomfrey clucked her tongue as she examined Lily's scalp, "Honestly, can none of you Potters stay out of the Hospital Wing for even the first week?"

And Lily was being compared to the rest of her family again. Brilliant.

Deciding to distract herself, partially away from the pain and partially to satiate her boredom, Lily observed her surroundings, trying to figure out what potion did what, the construction of the room itself, and who the patients and their ailments might be.

Mateo Thomas-Finnegan was in the Hospital Wing again, one and a half of his eyebrows singed. He gave her a small wave and despite Lily's darker mood, she waved back as civilly as possible. It wasn't his fault that she was as irritated as she was after all.

Beyond him was a small band of Weasleys with multi-colored hair and varying features of abnormally large proportions. How they got that way, she was curious but not at the risk of her own safety. One of them was Fred, Uncle George's son, and one of Lily's many cousins.

Like most Weasleys, he had red hair and hand me down clothing, though the last part had more to do with the clothing being "vintage" and "retro" than anything else.

Old school robes from their parents' time were strange. Apparently, young witches were always supposed to wear skirts, which Lily frankly found hazardous in multiple areas of learning within the school, primarily potions, charms, and flying. There were so many opportunities for such items to get caught on things. For instance, she had once heard a strange tale of a potions' master getting his robes caught on fire while attending a Quidditch match. Poor soul, whoever he was.

The same went for ties, because no matter how well tucked-in they were, it didn't stop some dark wizards from turning them into nooses during the Dark Lord's rule. Most students wore vests with white shirts and at least one piece of clothing that had their House colors on them. For some it was a scarf, a turban (Lily always wonder why some teachers were a bit wary of that particular headgear), or if a student either asked or could perform it themselves, they could transfigure or charm their clothing. 

Her mind stopped that train of thought as she glanced over to see a small boy, with bags under his eyes, and dark curly hair. He was pale with the exception of the barest hint of a flush on his cheeks. He had a yellow and black scarf. Thus, a Hufflepuff. He seemed familiar somehow. Lily blinked while Madam Pomfrey sighed, "Mr. Trocar, Miss Potter here is bleeding from a rather nasty wound. I suggest you stay away else you'll faint."

The flush disappeared, and he slowly nodded. After Madam Pomfrey healed Lily's scalp and washed her hair a little, she told Lily she was free to go. Outside, Lily grew a little dizzy, and dropped her book bag only for it to be caught by a quick set of hands. It was the Hufflepuff she'd seen earlier.

"H-Hello," he murmured, tentatively holding out the satchel.

She took it, silently noting how he was avoiding any physical contact with her. She decided not to comment since she wasn't exactly a touchy person either.

Lily smiled, "H-Hello to you too." His flush grew, and with that, Lily recalled where she had seen him. He was one of the few who stayed in the library late at night, almost to curfew. For some reason though, he hadn't been bothered as much as others when it came to heading back to their dorms. He always seemed quiet, and reserved. Maybe she had mistaken him for being shy? "I'm Lily, Lily Potter."

"Alaric, Alaric Trocar," he said tentatively. Seeing Lily's offered hand, he gently, almost as though he were afraid, shook it. He was cold to the touch, and trembled quite a bit. He yanked his hand back, and Lily could see that it was taking him quite a bit of effort to be near her at all. "Um, have a nice day!"

He disappeared almost as stealthily as Fred or the Scamander twins did. Shrugging, she went on her way, thinking about some of the events earlier in the day. Filch had acted quite odd. Some might wonder if he was under the Imperius Curse. Her footsteps faltered, her thoughts trying to sort out the bungled mess within her mind.

"Hey, LL!" Lily sighed, turning to see a very anxious Fred Weasley II. For some reason, parts of his face were swollen and covered in teeth marks. Catching her expression, he snorted, "James and I were testing out the fanged frisbees." Of course they were. "Are you okay? Looked like you were bleeding back there."

She shrugged once more. Hopefully it wouldn't become a habit. "Apparently, I'm a kitten's scratching post."

"Ouch." Fred winced, his worry nearly overridden by his disgusted notions of associating with Filch's cats in any way. He sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "Whelp, not much we can do now. You want to head to lunch?"

Out in the Great Hall, students of all houses were intermingling, ignoring the blatant flags above the sorted tables. Not all groups got along, but it spoke a great deal about those who both attended and were staffed at Hogwarts adjusted to the changing times. Fear still remained in some places, hence the numerous safety precautions, but there was also the need for people to not be quite so divisive. Being a pureblood was still a thing, but it was less...Harsh.

And speaking of purebloods- "Lily! Look what Uncle Arthur sent me!" Scorpius was looking more thrilled than ever. His eyes were practically twinkling with thrill and curiosity as he showed it off to his classmates. "He says it's some kind of puzzle. Muggles call it a 'Rubick's Cube'." He began twisting and turning pieces of it to make a line of solid cover. "You've got to figure out how all the colors match onto different sides! Isn't that neat?"

The Scamander twins appeared, each one inspecting the odd toy. Scorpius still seemed like Christmas had come early that year. Lily decided not to ruin his mood. She grabbed some Shepard's pie and a small side of salad. It wasn't exactly the healthiest thing to have, but red meat was generally good for blood loss and the salad would help with certain nutrients and vitamins. While she was at it, she grabbed some chocolate. Chocolate helps with a lot of things.

James appeared, his outfit completely covered in grass and dirt stains. There was still some vegetation in his hair. Albus, always by Scorpius's side, leaned over. "I thought Quidditch practice and tryouts didn't begin until Friday at five o'clock?"

James smirked, "They don't."

There was a loud series of screeches, whereupon a group of third years rushed into the Hall, Fanged Fisbees chasing after them. At the looks he was given, James just nonchalantly grabbed a biscuit. "What? They were bullying Albus earlier."

It didn't need to be said over what. Albus didn't follow the path of his lineage when it came to being in the House of Godric Gryffindor. Instead, being a Slytherin had been something Albus had been mocked or insulted about on numerous occasions. With some levity, however, Lily could honestly say that it had gone down quite a bit after James had not only publicly (and loudly) defended his brother, but also stated that anyone who messed with Albus would have the support of the Ministry, the minister herself, and various other political allies that would create hell to rain down on them. There was also the fact that James said he himself, and with the help of the far too many Weasleys, would wage war on whoever pulled such a stunt.

One would have to be an idiot to even consider warring against Weasleys. They had an endless supply of tools and pranks to make one's entire school life miserable. Case in point, the fanged frisbees currently trying to make a meal out of various body parts of said idiots.

Lily merely drank some more pumpkin juice, more interested in eating and studying than anything else. Frowning as she read through the Potions book, she got out another one from the topic, and compared the texts. How could instructions for the same potion, be so irritatingly different?

* * *

t's Pott-ER, not Pott-AH," Lily grumbled. "Seriously, does anyone know how irritating it gets being referred to as 'Pott-ah'? It sounds more like somebody's trying to call you a toilet."

Lorcan snickered into his hand, "Not as bad as being called 'Scamander'. I've been called 'Salamander' at least five times today."

Both rolled their eyes, more so when they heard James humming a tune, dancing a little in his seat. "I gotta get back to Hogwarts..." He moved over to where Fred was, both smirking as they changed, "I gotta get back to school. I gotta get myself to Hogwarts, where everyone thinks I'm cool!"

At the last part, they finger-gunned a few girls, some who even _giggled_. Lily sat down with the Potters, Weasleys, Weasley-Grangers, and Scamander family members as they began studying during lunch. It was triangle sandwiches again, but with more of an abundance of meat. Fred sighed near the end, "You firsties want to see something cool?"

"What?"

James frowned, "The kitchens, or _you know where_?" 

You know where? "How about the kitchens then?" Lily didn't want to get in trouble for anything, especially for their first couple of weeks in Hogwarts

Turning to the hallway leading to the library, movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye. Blinking, she found Snape scowling as he marched through paintings. Pursing her lips, Lily knew it was a bad idea to try to initiate contact with him again, but...

Jogging up to the deceased professor's moving painting, she said, "Professor?" He still walked, but there was a slight falter. Inhaling, she asked, "Will you help me with a potions question?"

That gave him some pause, stopping in his tracks. "You, want my help?"

His dark eyes searched her. Was it possible for a painting to cast Legilimens?

"Yes. Professor Belby isn't a bad teacher, but I have trouble understanding some of the ways he phrases steps for stirring and preparing certain ingredients. The book also seems vague at times, and often when I follow the instructions exactly, my potion still leaves much to be desired. However, when I..." She was reluctant to admit this part, "Experiment, under supervised vision of course-"

"Of course," he deadpanned, looking at her sternly, if not sarcastically.

Did he always drawl out his words? It was hard to read him at times. Then again, the original Snape had been a good actor as well.

She repeated his words, "I tend to get better results. I just think it would be nice to get a second opinion for our most recent project, if you're willing."

There was a long silence, then he uttered, "Which one?"

Huh, she thought he'd ask why he should help her at all. Perhaps there was still some semblance of a teacher in him. Or maybe it was just because she was named after the woman he that he loved that he was willing to even listen at all. The biases one found at Hogwarts were disappointing, but obviously she could use them for her advantage.

"The Cure for Boils."

He arched a brow, the rest of his face still void of emotion. "That is ahead of your class' current schedule."

How well did he know the curriculum? And why would he still pay attention to them?

"I understand, and that is why I am asking someone more competent for assistance," she stated. "I am still a child, I'm still learning, and there are only so many things that I can't learn on my own. So, I ask questions and ask for help when needed. Right now, I need it."

The entire time she had spoken factually, devoid of her own emotion. Snape nodded, "Speak."

"In one part of the text, we're supposed to add flobberworm mucus until the potion turns pink, and then sprinkle in dried nettles into the potion turns green. However, as I've researched, in an older text we're supposed to heat the cauldron until the potion turns from red to green. Then we pour in flobberworm mucus until it turns pink, then heat it more until it turns orange. More often than not, the older recipe appears to be more consistent, but only when one adds six and a half shrake pines, which is not a part of the instructions."

Snape was staring, absolutely gobsmacked with emotions between confusion, anger, and irritation. Lily wondered if the real Snape had been so expressive. From there, they traveled down to the library and silently discussed various potions and how to make them. There was some debate, weirdly enough, of how they should turn out, but Snape was attentive to each and every one of Lily's questions even if he appeared flippant about it. Madam Pince didn't bother them, probably only because it was Snape.

* * *

It only occurred to Lily later that the entire school was full of paintings and ghosts, many of whom were experts in magic and/or had historical significance in it.

If she could get a tutor for potions out of a painting, where else, or who else, might she be able to get it from. Maybe she could even get a better history teacher besides Professor Binns. Wait, if a painting could teach, why couldn't they do it in a classroom setting? It had to be pretty boring as a ghost, so this could provide benefits to multiple groups, including the very dead themselves. Maybe she ought to organize something.

"Lily, what are you thinking?" Lysander Scamander asked nervously when she entered the Common Room just before curfew.

She hummed, "I think, I'm going to make friends with all of the paintings and ghosts in the castle."

"Huh?"

Allies were always available, especially when one knew where to look.

...

..

.

How in bloody Merlin's beard was she NOT a Slytherin?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scorpius giggled in the Slytherin common room, singing, "I've got gadgets and gizmos aplenty. I've got whozits and whatzits galore-"
> 
> "What's he doing?"
> 
> Albus palmed his forehead, "He's discovered Disney."
> 
> "-I want to be where the muggles are!"
> 
> "Ooh boy."


	4. Chapter 4

EDIT

11/22/2019 - Hey everybody, college is really stressful and helping out on this will make things a lot easier to write. Agroup and I have a research project for a few classes that involves a survey. We need a larger sample size. It's not an official survey, just experimental for really, really inexperienced college students. It takes on average (so far), 3 minutes pending how you answer:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7C3Z68K

Thank you.


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